Composition for detonators



- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUSSELL M. COOK AND BENNETT GROTTA, OF TAMAQUA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORSTO ATLAS POWDER COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OFDELAWARE.

COM-POSITION FOB; DETONATORS- 1 ,385,245. Specification of LettersPatent.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, RUSSELL M. (100K and BENNETT GROTTA, citizens ofthe United States of America, residing at Tama ua, in the county ofSchuylkill and State of ennsylvania, have invented certaln new anduseful Improvements in Compositlons for Detonators, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Ourinvention relates particularly to an improvement in a compositionused for detonating explosive charges, as for example, dynamite, orgelatin, and it has for object to'provide an improved compos1t1on ofthis nature by virtue of which the explosion temperature of thedetonating composition may be reduced to a point materially below theexplosion temperature of lead azid alone.

The heavy metal salts of hydrazoic acid, for example, lead azid, havebeen proposed alone and in conjunction with other explosives, as acharge for detonators. Lead azid, and most of the heretofore proposedmixtures of lead azid with other explosives, suffer from the seriousdisadvantage of having a high explosion temperature. For instancefulminate of mercury explodes upon being heated to 150 C. to 160 (1,whereas lead azid explodes at 320 C. to 350 C.

The undesirabilityof this characteristic in a material which is to beexploded by the spit of a fuse, electric spark or like means ofignition, is apparent and has been a recognized drawback to thecommercial application of lead azid.

We have discovered that a mixture of lead azid, and trinitrophenylmethylnitroamin, the latter commercially known as tetryl, gives an eflicientinitiating explosive, the temperature of explosion of which is muchlower than that of lead azid itself, and

which is much more easil exploded by the spit of a fuse or similar1gnition than lead azid alone. The explosion temperature of lead azidalone is 320 C. to 350 (3., while the explosion tem rature of the leadazidtetryl mixture is low 250 C.

We have found 80 parts of lead azid-to 20 parts oftrinitrophenylmethylnitroamin to be an efficient mixture for thepurposes reclted. The mixture of lead azid and tetryl may be used eitheras the only charge of a blastlng cap or as a priming charge, the mamcharge consisting of some other exploslve or mlxture of explosives, asis common in blasting cap manufacture. Trinitro-toluol ortrinitrop-henylmethylnitroamin or a mixture of trinitrotoluol andtrinitrophenyle methylnitroamin as the superimposed compos1t1on makes ahighly efiicient blasting cap having a low exploslon temperature.

While we have iven an example of definite proportions 0% lead azid andtetryl, we

wish it to be understood that any mixturev may be used within the limitsof 40 parts lead azid and 60 parts tetryl to 95 parts lead azid and 5parts tetryl. tion for detonators is intended to mean any charge usedfor initiating the detonation of other explosives.

Having described our invention, what we claim is:

1. A blasting cap mixture of lead azid methylnitroamin.

of explosive and a primer 0 arge comprlsing a mixture of lead azid andtrinitrophenyl-methylnitroamin. I

3. A blasting cap containing a main charge oftrinitrophenylmethylnitroamin and a primer charge comprising a mixtureof lead azid and trinitrophenylmethylnitroamin.

4. A blasting cap containing a main charge of explosive on which issuperimposed a mixture of lead azid and trinit'rophenylmethylnitroamin.

charge comprising a and trinitrophenyl- 2. A blasting cap containin amain charge Patented July 19, 1921., Application filed March 31, 1921.Serial No. 457,500.

Also a composi-j In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in thepresence of two witnesses.

RUSSELL M- COOK. BENNETT GROTTA.

Witnesses:

Gnoncn Cmusr, R. C. KNOLL.

